How Long Should I Wait In Between Treatments?
If you surf the web long enough you will eventually run across some impressive before and after pictures of people who have had everything from facelifts and nose jobs to body lifts and mommy makeovers.
Perhaps some of those amazing after pictures have made you consider having a little “nip and tuck” yourself, but you do not fully understand what different cosmetic procedures entail.
For example, exactly how many of the procedures that you may be interested in can be completed in one day? Which ones have to be spaced out? How long will you have to wait between procedures?
The following information will answer these questions so that you will be able to make more informed decisions about tweaking your appearance via cosmetic surgery.
Body lifts
No matter if it is an upper, lower or total body lift, these are arguably the most involved or extreme cosmetic procedures that a person can have. Why? Excess skin – sometimes several pounds – is typically removed from the upper arms, abdominal area and the thighs of individuals who have lost a tremendous amount of weight.
Such a procedure takes several hours to complete and requires hundreds of intricate stitches to ensure that those areas of the body have a more youthful appearance and minimal tell-tale signs of surgery.
Can a total body lift be done in one day? Unfortunately, there is no way to answer that question because it depends on the individual. For example, one total body lift may give a young man who has lost 75 lbs. the results that he wants. A middle age woman who has lost more than 100 lbs., however, may require additional body lift procedures in the future in order to get the results that she wants.
Additionally, certain preexisting health issues may prevent some individuals from having a total body lift. These people may have to opt for a series of procedures instead such as an upper body lift followed by a mid and lower body lift. In these cases, the procedures will not be done back-to- back.
How long is the wait time? Again, this depends on the individual’s state of health, the procedure and the size of the area or areas that will be treated.
Mommy Makeovers
While similar to body lifts, mommy makeovers are typically less involved. The target areas are usually the breasts and abdomen as some women find that these parts of their bodies lose elasticity after multiple pregnancies or just one. However, mommy makeovers can also include a butt lift, liposuction and vaginal rejuvenation. It depends on the individual’s goals.
In many cases, a breast lift, which may or may not include the addition of implants, and a tummy tuck are performed in the same day. Additionally, liposuction or liposculpting and a butt lift can also be done back-to- back.
As for vaginal rejuvenation, it depends on the procedure. For example, laser-based vaginoplasty or vaginal tightening can usually be completed in an hour, and it may or may not be done in conjunction with labiaplasty – a surgical procedure in which excess labia skin is removed.
Recovery time typically for both procedures usually takes less than a week, but complete healing can take more than six months. Total recovery time will depend solely on the state of the woman’s health, her activity level and pain threshold.
Some women may opt to have lipo surgery procedures and vaginal rejuvenation on the same day while others may choose to have a breast lift or breast implants and vaginal rejuvenation on the same day.
It is worth mentioning that some plastic surgeons do not advise women to have certain vaginal rejuvenation procedures and a tummy tuck on the same day. Why are they against it? Proximity.
These surgeons believe that tummy tuck stitches may create painful tension and possibly swelling in the genital region. Of course, this is just their opinion. Women who are interested in having a tummy tuck and any form of vaginal rejuvenation on the same day should discuss their desires with a certified plastic surgeon. Some women may be able to handle both procedures.
What other procedures can be done back-to- back? In many cases, liposuction and buttock augmentation can usually be done in the same day. Take the popular Brazilian butt lift procedure, for example. Surgeons perform liposuction or liposculpting to remove fat from parts of the body that patients want to have reduced or refined – typically the belly, upper back, hips and thighs – and then strategically inject the fat into the buttocks to give them a firmer and rounder appearance.
Some people who want additional sculpting via liposuction will find that many surgeons will ask them to wait at least three months before having additional liposuction treatments.
Cosmetic surgeons suggest that having a surgical or non-surgical face-lift or brow lift in conjunction with a nose job is OK in most cases. Two possible drawbacks are the length of time that is required to complete a surgical face-lift and rhinoplasty. Performing these two procedures can take up to 8 hours in some cases, and recovery time may include a night at a hospital.
A non-surgical or “liquid face lift” is performed by injecting fat, Botox and other fillers into problem areas. How long does it take? Usually less than two hours, and total recovery time is less than a week in most cases. How long do you have to wait between touch ups? Based on the opinion of various cosmetic surgeons, the suggested wait time appears to be three months.
Now you have a general idea of what some of the most popular cosmetic procedures entail. Keep in mind that there are complications associated with surgical and non- surgical cosmetic procedures, and you should be aware of all of them. Reading comments on plastic surgery forums is good, but direct communication with a skilled cosmetic surgeon is your best option.
Dr. Hillelson is a renowned reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgeon in Richmond who has practiced for more than 30 years. You can learn more about her here:
www.iridesseskincare.com.
This is a guest post.